EP0318372B1 - Profile for guiding and sealing a moving window, particularly for a motor car door, and process for manufacturing it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a profile intended to ensure the guiding and the sealing of a movable window, in particular of an automobile door. It relates more particularly to a profile of this type intended to equip an automobile door comprising a window of the so-called flush type.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a profile.

We know, from French patent application FR-A 2 596 138, an extruded elastomer profile, comprising a metal frame, a first part of which is a clamp is intended to allow its attachment to the frame of the movable glass and one of which second part with U-shaped section, called "slide", serves as a guide and sealing member for the movable glass. Between these two parts, a third part with a U-section, rigidly secured to the first part, can receive an auxiliary profile forming a seal of the so-called "wiper" type, at least one lip of which wicks the internal face of the glass in closed position. This wiper can also be an integral part of the profile.

According to claim 1 of the aforementioned application, the first part forming a clamp and the second part forming a guide member are hinged together by an elastic hinge produced by folding the central portion of the metal frame of the profile, prior to extrusion. of the elastomer on the reinforcement, this bridge then being cut out, after extrusion, in such a way that the reinforcement is eliminated, leaving however a fraction of the elastomer sheath, which constitutes the connecting hinge.

This hinge allows a certain degree of freedom between the parts of the profile which it joins, which can thus pivot relative to one another, so as to be able to adapt the same profile to frames having different opening angles. and to ensure excellent sealing of the glass in the closed position, without imposing on it excessive stresses.

In addition, part of the frame of the central portion cut from the profile remains by forming two branches of the U-shaped portions intended to receive respectively, on the one hand, the movable glass, on the other hand, the ice wiper, if it did not come from extrusion with the profile.

The profile described and claimed in the aforementioned published application therefore has appreciable advantages compared to those of the same general type, designed and patented previously by the Applicant.

The present invention relates to an advantageous variant of such a profile, having functional advantages over the previous one and capable of being produced by a process which is easier to implement.

More specifically, the invention aims to propose a variant of the profile of the previous type, in which the elastic hinge allows not only a relative pivoting of the parts of the profile that it joins, but also a translational movement of the slide substantially in the plane moving ice.

The invention also aims to provide a method of manufacturing such a profile which is simpler and does not involve, after extrusion of the elastomer, cutting a portion of the bridge joining the part forming the slide and the clamp part of the profile.

The invention therefore relates to a profile for guiding and sealing a movable window, in particular of a car door, consisting of an extruded elastomer with a metal frame and comprising a first part with a U-shaped section. clamp, capable of being fixed on the framing profile of the movable glass, and a second part with a U-section, turned in the opposite direction from said first part and serving as a guide and sealing member for the movable glass, the base of the U of the second part comprising a portion devoid of metal reinforcement, which forms a flexible elastic hinge in said elastomer and which connects, on the one hand, an external portion of the second part with U-shaped section constituted by a strand of the armature coated with elastomer and, on the other hand, an internal portion constituted by the branch common to the first and second U-shaped selection parts, the hinge allowing the pivoting of said external portion d e the second part with respect to the aforementioned internal portion (profile of type disclosed by FR-A 2,596,138), this profile being characterized in that said frame is sectioned at the hinge thereby allowing double freedom of movement to said external portion of the second part: on the one hand, pivoting with respect to said first part, on the other hand, in translation substantially in the plane of movement of the movable glass.

Particular embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The subject of the invention is also a method of manufacturing such a profile, characterized in that a metal strip intended to constitute said reinforcement is put into the appropriate shape, in that this strip is cut longitudinally into two fractions at a location corresponding to that of said elastic flexible hinge and in that said elastomer is extruded simultaneously on the two strip fractions in an appropriate contiguous position, previously coated with an agent for bonding said elastomer to the metal of said strip.

This coating may be carried out before or after the shaping of the metal strip.

In a continuous implementation of such a process, the cutting of the metal strip will be done immediately before the extrusion of the elastomer, which will cover all of the two strip portions to produce a single profile comprising the hinge d joint and sealing lips.

The translational movement of the slide serving as a guide member for the movable pane will manifest itself at the end of the pane movement, when the latter reaches the closed position, the edge of the pane pushing this part towards the adjoining part. of the framing, with a movement if multane pivoting with respect to the clamp portion, which ensures increased sealing of the window, while facilitating its movement.

As in previous profiles of this type, designed and patented by the Applicant, the window wiper can either constitute an independent member, attached to the profile and housed in a part with a U-shaped section with opening turned in opposite direction to that of the part forming a clamp, of which it is rigidly integral, either forming an integral part of the profile and having come from extrusion therewith.

The profile according to the invention lends itself to the fitting of frames for the opening of automobile doors both in the case where these frames have curvilinear profiles with shaped radiated angles as well as profiles with acute angles. In the latter case, V-shaped cutouts can be made in the parts of the profile corresponding to the angles of the frame, in order to be able to easily bend the profile and to facilitate its positioning.

• La figure 1 est une coupe transversale du profilé;
• Les figures 2 et 3 sont des coupes transversales illustrant la faculté d'adaptation de ce profilé à des encadrements de glace différents ;
• La figure 4 illustre la déformation de ce profilé sous la sollicitation d'une vitre mobile ;
• Les figures 5 et 6 illustrent l'utilisation des profilés conformes à l'invention pour l'équipement d'encadrements de vitres respectivement à angles curvilignes et à angles aigus.

Other characteristics of the invention will appear in the description which follows, of an embodiment of a profile according to the invention. In this description, reference will be made to the appended drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a cross section of the profile;
• Figures 2 and 3 are cross sections illustrating the adaptability of this profile to different ice frames;
• Figure 4 illustrates the deformation of this profile under the stress of a movable window;
• Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the use of profiles according to the invention for the equipment of window frames respectively with curvilinear angles and acute angles.

Reference will first be made to FIGS. 1 to 4, in which the profile shown is a one-piece profile, that is to say of which the wiper is an integral part. As indicated above, the wiper could however also constitute an independent auxiliary profile, housed in a groove in the profile according to the invention.

As described in the aforementioned application, this profile comprises a U-shaped part, 1, forming a clamp, intended to be made integral with the frame 2 of an automobile door by covering a rebate 3 of this frame. This part 1 is connected to a second U-shaped part, or slide 4, serving as a guide and sealing member for a movable window 5.

The U-sections of parts 1 and 4 are reversed with respect to each other.

According to the invention, the clamp 1 and the slide 4 both comprise a metal frame 6, for example of aluminum, sheathed with an elastomer 7.

The frame 6 is sectioned in the base part of the U of the slide 4, to define there a hinge 8 made of said elastomer, devoid of frame. This hinge 8 authorizes, on the one hand, a pivoting of the slide 4 relative to the clamp 1, on the other hand, at the end of the travel of the glass 5, when the latter rests on the bottom of the slide 4 (see part on a larger scale of FIG. 4), a translation of the strand 6a of the frame of the slide 4 relative to the clamp 1 in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the window 5.

The profile further comprises a sealing element or wiper 9, attached to the clamp 1 and that a curved portion 10 of the frame 6 anchors on this frame. Two lips 11 and 12 of this wiper, having flocked fibers on their surface, come into contact with the internal face of the window pane, in the closed position thereof, while two lips of the slide, 13 and 14, also flocked adjacent respectively to the bottom thereof and to the lateral strip opposite the wiper 9, respectively provide sealing at the edge of the window 5 and on the outer face thereof. Two other lips, respectively 15 and 16, projecting from the bottom of the slide in the direction of the frame 2, dampen the movement of the profile when the latter is stressed by the window 5 and seal at this level.

Such a profile and its flexible articulation 8 are produced by pre-coating with a bonding agent on metal a continuous strip of metal intended to constitute the reinforcement, of aluminum for example, which is then folded to the shape desired using a roller system. Just before introducing the strip thus formed into the extrusion head which will cover it with an elastomer with the desired profile while simultaneously producing the wiper and the different lips, the metal strip is cut using a shear wheel along a line corresponding to the location of the hinge 8.

After extrusion of the elastomer, the resulting profile is pre-vulcanized, coated by flocking of fibers at the locations intended to come into contact with the glass pane 5 and cut into rectilinear elementary sections, which are then shaped to the profile of the door frames to be fitted. , that these are at rounded angles, as seen in FIG. 5, or at acute angles, as in FIG. 6. In the latter case, the profile may include V-shaped cutouts, 16, in the angles, to facilitate the installation of the profile on the frame.

In addition to the advantages of the section which is the subject of the main patent (FR-A 2 596 138), the present section is distinguished by greater ease of manufacture and, consequently, by lower cost, and by greater flexibility. at the edge of the movable glass, resulting in increased sealing.

The same profile in accordance with the present invention, because of its great flexibility, can be adapted to door frames having different opening angles, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Claims (6)

1. A profiled member for the guidance and sealing- tightness of a movable window, particularly of a motor vehicle door, constituted by an extruded elastomer (7) with a metal reinforcement (6) and comprising a first part (1) of U-shaped cross-section forming a gripping means adapted to be fixed on the profiled frame (3) of the movable window, and a second part (4) with a U-shaped cross-section facing the opposite direction to the first part and serving as a guiding and sealing means for the movable window, the base of the U of the second part (4) comprising a portion which has no metal reinforcement and which forms a flexible elastic hinge (8) constitued by the said elastomer and connecting on the one hand an outer portion of the second part (4) of U-shaped cross-section, constituted by a flange (6a) of the elastomer-coated reinforcement and on the other an inner portion constituted by the arm which is common to the first and second parts (1, 4) of U-shaped cross-section, the hinge (8) allowing the said outer portion of the second part (4) to pivot in relaticn to the aforesaid inner portion, the said profiled member being characterised in that the said reinforcement (6) is cut at the level of the hinge (8), so allowing the said outer portion of the second part (4) a double freedom of movement: on the one hand to pivot in relation to the said first part (1) and on the other to move substantially in the plane of displacement of the movable window (5).

2. A profiled member according to Claim 1, characterised in that it results from coating with an extruded elastomer a metal strip which forms the said reinforcement (6), pre-cut into two parts at a position corresponding to that of the said hinge (8).

3. A profiled member according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that it comprises a sealing-tight member (9) of the lip type which is an integral part of the said profiled member and which is extruded with the said elastomer, the said sealing member (9) adjoining the said part (1) which constitutes a gripping means.

4. A profiled member according to Claim 3, characterised in that the said sealing member (9) is anchored on the part of the said reinforcement (6) of the said gripping means (1) by a part (10) of this reinforcement which is folded over inside the said sealing member.

5. A profiled member according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that in manner known per se it comprises a sealing-tight member (9) of the wiper or lip type, distinct from the profile and accommodated in a portion of this latter which is of U-shaped cross-section and which is rigidly attached to the said part (1) which forms a gripping means.

6. A method of producing a profiled member according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that a metal strip intended to constitute the said reinforcement (6) is appropriately shaped, the strip being cut longitudinally into two portions at a position corresponding to that of the said flexible elastic hinge (8) and in that the said elastomer (7) is simultaneously extruded on both portions of the strip in an appropriate contiguous position, the strips having been previously coated with an agent for bonding the said elastomer to the metal of the said strip.

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